Adult individual differences as moderators of child effects

Commentary on special section on "bidirectional parent-child relationships": the continuing evolution of dynamic, transactional models of parenting and youth behavior problems

Creative and methodologically sophisticated longitudinal research on bidirectionality in parenting and child behavior can shed important new light on the dynamics of behavior-problem development. The articles assembled for this Special Section are at the forefront of efforts aimed at tracing the interplay of parenting behavior and child and adolescent adjustment problems over time. In this commentary, we provide a brief overview of thinking and research on bidirectionality and then highlight key themes and findings reported in these articles. We describe some of the challenges in research on bidirectional processes and offer some recommendations for future research in this area.

The impact of culture upon child rearing practices and definitions of maltreatment

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between a childhood history of abuse that a parent may have experienced and the cultural beliefs/factors that an individual may subscribe to with current parenting behaviors and attitudes. It was hypothesized that cultural factors would be more predictive of parenting behaviors and attitudes than ethnicity as a demographic label.

METHOD

Using a survey design, 150 parents of Hispanic, African American and European American descent participated. Participants completed the Conflict Tactics Scale, a Familism Scale, a Machismo Scale, a Valuing Children Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and assigned seriousness ratings to vignettes depicting child maltreatment.

RESULTS

A history of childhood abuse was found to be predictive of the use of both physical and verbal punishment by mothers, but not for fathers. Cultural factors/beliefs were predictive of fathers' parenting behaviors, but not mothers'. Ethnicity, as a demographic variable, continued to be a significant predictor of parenting behaviors and attitudes for all parents, controlling for cultural factors.

DISCUSSION

The present study adds to our understanding of diverse parenting styles, of definitions of child abuse and neglect, and of ethnicity. The findings indicate that ethnicity is a complex factor, one demanding further examination with regard to its components.

Family processes and child risk for injury

Although injuries are the leading health threat to children, behavioral interventions within the family to prevent injuries remain relatively unexplored. In this paper, the parenting literature relevant to maltreatment injuries is reviewed in order to offer a broader picture of the potential influence of the family on all kinds of injuries. Factors that influence parental supervision of risky child behavior, relationship issues that may potentiate risky behavior, and the role of behavioral rules in reducing risky responding are considered. Suggestions for future research on family processes in injury socialization and intervention options are advanced.